MMA News

Category: MMA

  • Magomed Ankalaev Highlights Where He ‘Can Catch’ Alex Pereira On The Feet In Potential UFC Title Fight: ‘His Standup Is Overrated’

    Magomed Ankalaev Highlights Where He ‘Can Catch’ Alex Pereira On The Feet In Potential UFC Title Fight: ‘His Standup Is Overrated’

    UFC light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev doesn’t see what’s so special about the striking of his division’s champion.

    Alex Pereira finds himself atop most lists when it comes to the current top standup fighters competing on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage. His fearsome reputation on the feet was built as a two-weight Glory Kickboxing champion.

    He’s since enhanced it inside the Octagon, where he’s delivered brutal knockout after brutal knockout to secure the crowns at both middleweight and light heavyweight.

    “Poatan” currently reigns with the latter in his possession, and he cemented that status last weekend in the main event of UFC 303, where he got the better of Jiří Procházka for the second time in emphatic fashion.

    It didn’t take long for talk to turn to the Brazilian’s future, and one high-ranked contender was waiting in the wings to stake his claim with a number of posts on social media.

    And as his campaign for another title shot continues, Ankalaev has made a bold assertion regarding the champ…

    Ankalaev Downplays Pereira’s Striking Superiority

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Ankalaev reiterated his belief that a clash with Pereira makes sense later this year and assessed how they match up against one another.

    Many have long touted the Russian as a future threat to “Poatan” owing to his wrestling abilities. Ankalaev, however, has dismissed the notion that he’ll be outgunned on the feet by what he described as an “overrated” striking game.

    “With Alex, you just have to watch a couple of his past fights,” Ankalaev said, via his translator. “With (Jan) Błachowicz, you know, his wrestling was on a level and Alex didn’t have much to offer. Same with (Israel) Adesanya, they’re both strikers but Adesanya was able to show him some wrestling.

    “I think he is a great striker. But he is the kind of guy who always moves forward, and that is where sometimes he might make a mistake. That’s where I might catch him,” Ankalaev continued. “Definitely he has a strong punch, but I think just overall, his standup fight is overrated. Watch his fight with Jamahal Hill; he had something to offer to counter him. Same with the fight with Procházka. … He was probably lucky or didn’t face serious opposition. Wrestling is there, but I’m ready to fight with him standing up.”

    In pleading his case for a showdown with Pereira, Ankalaev has vowed to knock the champ out. Whether that will be the path he pursues in a potential fight down the line or if he looks to overcome “Poatan” in the grappling realm remains to be seen.

  • Georges St-Pierre’s Coach Labels Jiří Procházka’s UFC 303 Performance As ‘Worst Approach To A Fight Ever’

    Jiří Procházka was unable to reclaim the UFC light heavyweight title in a rematch with Alex Pereira this past weekend in Las Vegas.

    Despite believing that he had made some significant adjustments for his approach this time around, UFC 303 was a far more one-sided affair than their previous encounter last November.

    Though it is true that Procházka was having success in the first fight until he was stopped in the second round, he was seemingly fighting a losing battle mostly due to the damage that was done to his leg early on in the fight.

    The same thing happened on Saturday night but Pereira was able to find a home for his devastating left hook even earlier on this occasion, before finishing the fight at the start of the second round with a head kick.

    Firas Zahabi Criticizes Jiří Procházka For Being Happy To Strike With Alex Pereira

    The highly-regarded MMA coach Firas Zahabi gave his breakdown of the fight during a recent video on the Tristar Gym YouTube channel.

    He was very critical of the approach that Procházka came into the rematch with because there wasn’t enough emphasis placed on switching things up on Pereira.

    Zahabi referenced how there is a stark difference in the amount of MMA experience that both men have, with Procházka coming into the main event with 36 pro fights compared to Pereira’s 13.

    The former coach of Georges St-Pierre couldn’t understand why the challenger wouldn’t look to take advantage of this by trying to take the former world champion kickboxing out of his comfort zone.

    “You’d think Jiří would have like 10 more years under his belt in wrestling and still he didn’t even fathom a takedown. He tried one little clinch, he didn’t even knock on that door. Very disappointing strategy by Jiří. Jiří was just seemingly happy to strike and I will tell you, within the first minute of round one, “Poatan” had landed like four kicks and you could tell he was already hurting Jiří’s leg.

    “Jiří’s game plan and performance, I think that was his worst approach to a fight ever, he’s ever had. I heard he was like three days in a cave somewhere meditating, thinking about this fight, how he’s going to approach it. Unfortunately for him it really didn’t work.”

  • Eric Nicksick Admits Last-Minute Technique Advice To Dan Ige May Have Cost Him UFC 303 Fight Against Diego Lopes: ‘My Heart Hurt…’

    Eric Nicksick Admits Last-Minute Technique Advice To Dan Ige May Have Cost Him UFC 303 Fight Against Diego Lopes: ‘My Heart Hurt…’

    For his short-notice co-main event fight with Diego Lopes at UFC 303, Eric Nicksick was in Dan Ige’s corner. By coaching two former UFC champs, Francis Ngannou and Sean Strickland, Nicksick has gained a ton of acclaim in MMA circles.

    At UFC 303, the coach had an unprecedented challenge as Ige only had four hours to weigh in, rehydrate, and, well, also figure out his in-fight strategy. Their goal was to fight on instincts which, to be fair, worked pretty well.

    Showing his durability, “50k” survived Lopes’ explosive striking and constricting ground game in the first two rounds and outstruck the Brazilian in the third. A last-minute adjustment suggested by coach Nicksick worked against him, though, and may have cost him the UFC 303 co-main event.

    Eric Nicksick Looks Back At Mistake That Likely Cost Dan Ige A Round Against Diego Lopes At UFC 303

    Nicksick and Ige appeared on the UFC 303 recap episode of the Anik & Florian Podcast uploaded on the DraftKings YouTube channel. Remembering the fight, Nicksick admitted that he shouldn’t have asked Ige to throw a head kick.

    “To be honest with you, I’ve been having a little bit of sleepless nights because I f****d up going into round. In round two, I called for the same side head kick. Something that I thought, because no one’s ever seen Dan throw it.”

    Nicksick expected the side head kick to surprise Lopes as Ige had only recently added the move to his arsenal. “50k” followed these instructions two minutes into the second round. The kick landed but also helped Lopes secure a takedown.

    “It was the same side high when Dan went southpaw. And he threw it, and the shin bone landed on this dude’s head but we got taken down. And I looked over at Kai and I’m like, I just f****d us. Dude, my gut, I was like, I just f****d this man, my heart hurt.”

    Despite the takedown and three minutes of control time, Ige constantly fought off his back and prevented his opponent from submitting him.

    Unfortunately, due to the takedown, the round was scored by the judges for Lopes. And despite comfortably winning the third round, Ige lost a unanimous decision 29-28 on all scorecards.

  • Former Glory Champion & Last Man To Defeat Alex Pereira In Kickboxing Training With Henry Cejudo: ‘Chama, We Comin’!’

    The last man to defeat Alex Pereira in the kickboxing ring has been quietly going about the process of gaining experience in the world of professional MMA.

    Artem Vakhitov held the Glory Kickboxing light heavyweight world title between 2016 and 2019, before losing it by split decision to “Poatan” in January of 2021. He reclaimed the belt by winning an immediate rematch against the Brazilian later that year, before Pereira moved on to the UFC.

    With a kickboxing record of 23-6 and five Glory title defences to his name, Vakhitov is certainly one of the most decorated and dangerous strikers in the world today. His professional MMA debut against Ashraf Bashandy in June of last year didn’t quite go to plan when an unfortunate landing barely a minute into the bout resulted in a dislocated elbow and a TKO loss for the Russian.

    Vakhitov has rebounded this year in impressive fashion however, by picking up first-round stoppage victories over Siyavush Salkhov and Valisher Khambaev. Following on from a short but impressive amateur career in which he picked up a multitude of submission wins, it certainly seems the Russian is a fighter to keep an eye on.

    Former Glory Champion Who Beat Pereira Links Up With ‘Triple C’

    In an interesting development, it has emerged this week that Vakhitov has teamed up with a new coach in order to develop his skills in MMA.

    Former UFC two-weight world champion Henry Cejudo posted a video of himself and Vakhitov to social media from the stands at UFC 303 this past weekend, during which he seemed to drop hints that the pair may have Alex Pereira in their sights.

    “So guys…allow me to introduce you guys to who’s training with the ‘Triple C’ next” said Cejudo. “I train the best in the world but guess what? Now I got the six-time Glory world champ, the last guy to defeat Alex Pereira, and we have a message for you!”

    The former Olympic gold medallist turned his phone to show Vakhitov, and the Russian simply replied “Chama.” ‘Triple C’ ended the message with, “We comin’”.

    After the successful crossovers of former Glory champions Pereira and Israel Adesanya into the Octagon, is history about to repeat itself?

  • VIDEO: Former Bellator Fighter Ryan Curtis Back Hitting Heavy Bag Just Months After Neck-Down Paralysis Due To Freak Training Injury

    VIDEO: Former Bellator Fighter Ryan Curtis Back Hitting Heavy Bag Just Months After Neck-Down Paralysis Due To Freak Training Injury

    At the start of the year, former Bellator fighter Ryan Curtis suffered an injury in training that was compared by doctors to being in a severe car crash or falling from a balcony.

    The freak accident required extensive surgery to replace the discs from his spine with titanium cages.

    Curtis’ close friends and teammates were there to support him, his partner and his young daughter through this incredibly difficult process which started with him being paralyzed from the neck down.

    Since then, thanks to the surgeries and a ton of support coming in from his loved ones, supporters and other members of the MMA community, promising updates have continued to come in.

    Curtis posted on his Instagram page back in April to say that he had been able to exercise on a cycling machine while lying down, just two months on from being told that he may never walk again.

    His remarkable recovery is still ongoing but once again, there are more positive signs.

    Ryan Curtis Shares More Inspirational Videos Of His Recovery Process – This Time, Doing What He Does Best

    The latest video to come out and track his path to recovery was once again posted by Curtis via Instagram.

    A series of videos show him slowly hitting the heavy bag with gloves on, walking uphill on a treadmill and even lifting weights by sitting up without any kind of assistance.

    His caption on the post says it all as this inspirational fighter continues to push towards the light at the end of the tunnel following the incredibly difficult events that he was forced to face just over six months ago.

    “Sometimes life sacrifices you for what you are, So that you can be what you can become. 🧱 by 🧱 don’t ever give up on yourself.”

  • Chael Sonnen Accuses Jiří Procházka Of ‘Being A Baby’ In Reaction To UFC 303 Loss

    Chael Sonnen Accuses Jiří Procházka Of ‘Being A Baby’ In Reaction To UFC 303 Loss

    Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes Jiří Procházka is producing a great example for other fighters when it comes to how not to handle a defeat.

    Just over two years on from his memorable crowning in Singapore at the expense of Glover Teixeira, Procházka looked to regain the light heavyweight crown in the main event of UFC 303 this past weekend.

    In what marked his second attempt at achieving two-time champ status opposite Alex Pereira, “BJP” once again fell short. While their first showdown at Madison Square Garden last year had some controversy owing to cries of early stoppage, there was no doubt about “Poatan’s” superiority on June 29.

    In the aftermath of his sophomore setback to the Brazilian knockout artist, Procházka released his first statement in the form of a video on his social accounts. In it, the Czech star gave an honest assessment of his defeat in Las Vegas, admitting that he either has to “evolve” or not return to the Octagon.

    While some have praised that mindset, one former fighter was not impressed…

    Sonnen Questions Procházka’s Focus On ‘Outcome,’ Not ‘Performance’

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen looked back on Procházka’s performance in Las Vegas and assessed his first post-fight statement on social media.

    “The Bad Guy” pointed to the former champ’s statement regarding the need to evolve, suggesting that usually leads to changes such as a team switch, which in turn signals the “beginning of the end” for a fighter.

    In simple terms, Sonnen described “BJP’s” remarks as the defeated light heavyweight “being a baby.”

    “Jiří Procházka, already talking to the fans, already doing some weird Jiří stuff, and I don’t know, man, being a baby. I don’t know,” Sonnen said. “I turned this camera on, I wanted to make a nice piece about Jiří. I haven’t met him but I appreciate him. And I recognize the incredible grit to that guy. I mean, a real tough guy. … He is not going to give up. He says he’s got to either evolve or he’s got to quit. It’s just a very interesting statement.

    “I do understand what Jiří’s saying…he’s talking about, you know, ‘I’m not going to settle in. I’m here to be champion, and I don’t have the skills and tools needed right now to deal with this threat,’ which is Pereira. … That’s a very dangerous game. In theory, that is absolutely right…it’s just an interesting game in practice,” Sonnen continued. “When you attempt to evolve, the first thing that traditionally happens is you leave your current situation. … It’s generally the beginning of the end. … You can’t, when you lose a contest, decide that that’s the time you’ve got to change things. You can’t be outcome-based. It’s a huge mistake. Champions don’t make it but the top contenders do. If you are outcome-based as opposed to performance-based, you’re really missing the number one philosophy that you need to be successful.”

    It remains to be seen when Procházka will look to get back into the cage following his latest setback to Pereira, or even if.

    Should he take time away and return once again in pursuit of two-time champ status, however, it stands to reason that the Czech star will do so looking to show new wrinkles and improvements to his game.

  • Raul Rosas Jr. Predicts Who Will Be UFC Bantamweight Champion When He Reaches The Title

    Rising UFC bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr. has long expressed his title ambitions, and he expects to achieve them at the expense of another highly touted prospect down the line.

    Rosas Jr. broke on to the scene in 2022 as the youngest fighter to ever sign a contract with the mixed martial arts leader. And he followed success on Dana White’s Contender Series with an Octagon debut win that very same year, submitting Jay Perrin at UFC 282.

    Although his sophomore outing didn’t quite go to plan courtesy of Christian Rodriguez’s own talents and planned rise toward contention, “El Niño Problema” has since returned to winning ways with a 54-second knockout of Terrence Mitchell last September and second-round submission of Ricky Turcios at the UFC Fight Night in Louisville last month.

    All the while, the now-19-year-old bantamweight has vowed to make a quick ascent to the throne that will leave him as the promotion’s youngest-ever champion, surpassing Jon Jones in that regard.

    Rosas Jr. no doubt has some major challenges ahead of him if he’s to achieve that goal, and judging by who he expects to be holding the gold at the time, that includes the final step…

    Rosas Jr. Predicts Nurmagomedov Showdown For The Title

    During an interview with MMA Crazy at UFC X during International Fight Week in Las Vegas, Rosas Jr. reiterated his lofty ambitions on MMA’s biggest stage, the next step toward which he hopes comes at the Sphere this fall.

    When asked what he expects the state of the title picture to look like upon his arrival down the line, the Mexican-American prospect named Umar Nurmagomedov as the man he believes will have the crown in his possession.

    “I see myself winning my next fight at the Sphere, and it’s just going to get me closer to the belt,” Rosas Jr. said. “Depending on how often I can fight and who I can fight, I think I can get it done pretty soon. … Probably (against) Umar Nurmagomedov. I think he’ll have the belt when I get there.”

    Despite that prediction, however, he seemingly isn’t expecting the Dagestani to reach the throne soon. When asked about his upcoming showdown with Cory Sandhagen in Abu Dhabi next month, Rosas Jr. backed “The Sandman” to stall Nurmagomedov’s rise.

    “He’s a beast, but Cory Sandhagen’s a beast too,” Rosas Jr. said. “I’m going to have to go with Cory Sandhagen.”

    Nurmagomedov is currently unbeaten at 17-0 in his professional career, with five of this wins coming under the UFC banner. After most recently escaping a scare against newcomer Bekzat Almakhan, “The Young Eagle” has the chance to stake his claim for a first title shot.

    To do so, the Russian standout must get past a former interim title challenger and top five contender in Sandhagen, whom he’ll share the Octagon with for a five-round UFC Fight Night headliner in Abu Dhabi on August 3.

  • Neil Magny Expected To Face Undefeated Prospect In Return At UFC Fight Night On August 24

    Neil Magny Expected To Face Undefeated Prospect In Return At UFC Fight Night On August 24

    UFC veteran Neil Magny looks set to be tasked with stalling the rise of another highly touted welterweight prospect later this summer.

    Magny, who currently occupies the #12 spot on the ladder at 170 pounds, continues to perform big on mixed martial arts’ grandest stage over a decade on from his Octagon debut.

    “The Haitian Sensation” holds the record for most wins in UFC welterweight history, and his lead in that regard was extended at UFC 297 in Toronto this past January, where he mounted a memorable comeback to upset home favorite Mike Malott.

    That result cemented Magny’s continued presence in the top 15 and pushed back the surge of a promising prospect. And the 36-year-old will need to bring about some déjà vu next month if he’s to continue his momentum.

    Per MMA Junkie’s Danny Segura, Magny has verbally agreed to do battle with the undefeated Michael Morales at the UFC Fight Night scheduled for the Apex in Las Vegas on August 24.

    Magny Looks To Halt Another Charging Prospect Months On From UFC 297 Upset

    Should this bout be made official, Magny will look to secure his first win streak since 2022 by blemishing the perfect professional record of Morales.

    Magny (29-11) recorded back-to-back victories over Geoff Neal and Max Griffin before running into the fast-charging Shavkat Rakhmonov in June 2022. He’s exchanged wins and losses since, getting the better of Daniel Rodriguez, Phil Rowe, and Malott but falling against high-level competition in Gilbert Burns and Ian Garry.

    If “The Haitian Sensation” is to further extend his lead in a number of records and continue proving his longevity inside the Octagon, he’ll have to do what nobody else has done up to this point: beat Morales (16-0). The Ecuadorian has won all four of his UFC fights to date since appearing on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021. The 25-year-old most recently outpointed Australia’s Jake Matthews at UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Craig last November.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at the Apex-held UFC Fight Night on August 24 are as follows:

    • Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Gerald Meerschaert (middleweight)
    • Roman Kopylov vs. Brunno Ferreira (middleweight)
    • Neil Magny vs. Michael Morales (welterweight)
    • Dennis Buzukja vs. Danny Silva (featherweight)
    • Viacheslav Borshchev vs. James Llontop (lightweight)
    • José Medina vs. Zachary Reese (middleweight)
    • Josiane Nunes vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (women’s bantamweight)
    Neil Magny & Mike Malott
    Image: Cooper Neill/UFC/Zuffa LLC
  • Jonathan Martinez Calls For Dominick Cruz Sphere Showdown After Taking Issue With His Commentary

    Jonathan Martinez Calls For Dominick Cruz Sphere Showdown After Taking Issue With His Commentary

    Jonathan Martinez has a bone to pick with former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, one that he wants to settle in the unique surroundings of the Sphere this fall.

    Martinez is on the hunt for his next assignment on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage following a disappointing night at the office in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this past May, where he fell to defeat at the hands of the returning José Aldo in the UFC 301 co-main event.

    Having risen into the rankings at 135 pounds courtesy of six straight wins following a knockout loss to Davey Grant, Martinez looked to ride the momentum from victories over Cub Swanson, Said Nurmagomedov, and Adrian Yañez into his showdown with the UFC legend.

    Unfortunately for the #14-ranked contender, he was convincingly outpointed at Jeunesse Arena, and he subsequently had to watch on as Aldo returned to the top 10 spot he had desired.

    A couple of months on, the Factory X standout is looking ahead to his opportunity to bounce back, and he hopes it’ll come against another prominent name in the sport…

    Martinez Was ‘Never A Fan’ Of Cruz

    During an interview with MMA Junkie at UFC X during International Fight Week, Martinez reflected on his setback in South America and named his preferred option moving forward.

    After outlining his desire to join the lineup for the upcoming pay-per-view event at Las Vegas’ Sphere on September 14, Martinez pitched former champion Dominick Cruz as the ideal opponent.

    Explaining that choice, the 30-year-old Californian said he’s been noting some frustrating remarks from “The Dominator” while he’s been commentating over his fights in recent times.

    “I want to be on that (Sphere) card in September,” Martinez said. “I want to be on that card, and I’ve been hearing Dominick Cruz wants to fight on that date, too. Hopefully they give me him. I just hear him every time I fight he’s always saying, ‘I don’t know why they don’t check Jonathan’s kicks.’ Put him in front of me and let him do that and see what happens.”

    While analyzing his defeat to Aldo, Martinez admitted that he was somewhat starstruck by the “King of Rio” on May 4. Suffice to say, he wouldn’t have that issue should he be stood across from Cruz inside the cage down the line…

    “I was never a fan. He was just there to me.”

    The promotion is set to stage its second Mexican Independence Day celebration, titled Riyadh Season Noche UFC, from the Sphere on September 14.

    While nothing major has been announced toward the top of the card to date, the likes of Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez, Yazmin Jauregui, and Edgar Cháirez are among the names with reported matchups for the lineup thus far.

  • Ben Askren Says It Was ‘Clear’ Jiří Procházka Would Get His ‘Ass Kicked’ At UFC 303: ‘If You’re Starting To Worry About Witchcraft…’

    Ben Askren Says It Was ‘Clear’ Jiří Procházka Would Get His ‘Ass Kicked’ At UFC 303: ‘If You’re Starting To Worry About Witchcraft…’

    Former Bellator and ONE Championship titleholder Ben Askren believes Jiří Procházka’s violent setback at UFC 303 was inevitable owing to where his focus was during fight week.

    Procházka had his second attempt at regaining the UFC light heavyweight crown in the main event of the June 29 pay-per-view, which headlined International Fight Week in Las Vegas.

    Having previously had his pursuit of the belt he formerly owned stalled by Alex Pereira at Madison Square Garden last November, “BJP” was targeting redemption against “Poatan” at T-Mobile Arena.

    But the Czech star ultimately fell short once again, this time in a much more convincing and brutal fashion. After being dropped at the end of round one, Procházka was finished for good after being sent back to the canvas by a clean head kick in the second frame.

    While many were backing the challenger’s chances owing to the early success he had against “Poatan” in 2023, one former fighter was expecting the UFC 303 main event to play out as it did after seeing some of Procházka’s pre-fight remarks…

    Askren On Pereira vs. Procházka: ‘If You’re Worrying About Witchcraft, You’re Done’

    During a recent episode of his Funky and the Champ YouTube show alongside Daniel Cormier, Askren gave his take on Procházka’s suggestion that Pereira uses “spiritual things” and “magic” from Shamans to help him defeat his opponents.

    As soon as that reared its head, “Funky” believes it was game over for the challenger.

    “I hate it,” Askren said of Procházka’s focus on “magic” during fight week. “If you start talking like that, that is a clear sign you’re going to get your ass kicked. If you’re starting to worry about witchcraft, no, you’re done. You’re not going to win. I said it, I said, ‘Listen, if he’s worrying about witchcraft, this is going to be over quick. He’s going to get knocked out,’ and that’s what happened.

    “When you get that far, it’s a little too far. I said it, I hate this. I hate the fact he was thinking about this kind of stuff,” Askren continued. “(If you are), it’s probably over for you.”

    A video has subsequently emerged showing Pereira and Procházka embracing one another at the airport post-fight, with the champion clarifying his religion and beliefs to his defeated rival.

    “BJP” also made no mention of that pre-fight narrative in his first statement on social media. Instead, he took full responsibility for the defeat and insisted that he must evolve as a fighter or not compete again.

  • UFC 303 Winner Makes Two-Week Turnaround, Faces Drew Dober At UFC Fight Night Denver

    UFC 303 Winner Makes Two-Week Turnaround, Faces Drew Dober At UFC Fight Night Denver

    UFC lightweight veteran Drew Dober will get the chance to fight close to home after one recent victor stepped in on extremely short-notice to meet him on July 13.

    Dober, who trains out of Denver, Colorado, was originally added to the lineup for next weekend’s UFC Fight Night in the ”Mile-High City” against the in-form Mike Davis. Last month, however “Beast Boy” suffered a nasty torn bicep in training.

    Since then, the 155-pound fan favorite has been awaiting news of a replacement to keep him on the card, which is set to be headlined by former two-time strawweight champion Rose Namajunas inside the Ball Arena.

    That came this week, with Brazilian outlet Ag. Fight reporting that Jean Silva will be moving up from featherweight to share the cage with Dober on less than two weeks’ notice.

    Silva was in action just this past weekend at UFC 303, where he got the better of Charles Jourdain in brutal fashion. The Brazilian did miss weight, however, so the decision to subsequently accept a lightweight showdown was perhaps to be expected.

    Silva Targets Two Wins In Two Weeks At Dober’s Expense

    Having already had a strong start to life on MMA’s biggest stage, the July 13 event presents the chance for Silva to significantly increase his stock by recording two victories in just 14 days.

    Silva (13-2) followed his success on Dana White’s Contender Series with a first-round knockout off Westin Wilson in his UFC debut. In Jourdain on June 29, “Lord Assassin” thrived against better competition, dropping the Canadian early on before finishing him in round two with a vicious uppercut.

    While the weight miss for that contest added an asterisk next to the result, the Brazilian 27-year-old has the chance to go someway toward erasing any memory of his indiscretion on the scale in one of the more high-profile bouts slated to go down in Denver next Saturday night.

    Dober (27-13) has long been one of the lightweight division’s perennial entertainers. That was on full display in 2022 when he sat in the rankings off the back of three straight stoppage wins over Terrance McKinney, Rafael Alves, and Bobby Green. Since sleeping “King,” though, Dober has gone 1-2, with a quick finish of Rick Glenn sandwiched between setbacks at the hands of Matt Frevola and Renato Moicano.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at the UFC Fight Night in Denver on July 13 are as follows:

    Main Card:

    • Rose Namajunas vs. Tracy Cortez (women’s flyweight main event)
    • Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov (welterweight co-main event)
    • Drew Dober vs. Jean Silva (lightweight)
    • Gabriel Bonfim vs. Ange Loosa (welterweight)
    • Julian Erosa vs. Christian Rodriguez (featherweight)
    • Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Cody Brundage (middleweight)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Viviane Araújo vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (women’s flyweight)
    • Joshua Van vs. Charles Johnson (flyweight)
    • Luana Santos vs. Mariya Agapova (women’s flyweight)
    • Montel Jackson vs. Da’Mon Blackshear (bantamweight)
    • Josh Fremd vs. Andre Petroski (middleweight)
    Image: Chris Unger/UFC/Zuffa LLC
  • Brian Ortega Makes First Public Statement On UFC 303 Fight Day Cancellation: ‘I Dared To Do Something Crazy…’ 

    Brian Ortega Makes First Public Statement On UFC 303 Fight Day Cancellation: ‘I Dared To Do Something Crazy…’ 

    Two-time UFC featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega has broken his silence on the same-day fight cancellation that saw him not compete at T-Mobile Arena this past weekend.

    After a successful comeback from injury in Mexico this past February, where he avenged his 2022 setback to Yair Rodríguez by way of submission, Ortega began preparing for a divisional switch.

    With opportunities limited at featherweight, “T-City” set his sights on the lightweight shark tank. But when last Saturday’s UFC 303 pay-per-view fell into crisis, Ortega agreed to be one of those saving the day, accepting an extremely late-notice co-main event against Diego Lopes.

    Despite Ortega’s prep for the 155-pound weight class, the bout was set for featherweight. But that changed on weigh-in day when it was revealed that the longtime contender couldn’t get lower than 151 pounds.

    While that left Lopes weighing in at lightweight having already cut down to the originally planned weight, the Mexico-based Brazilian was on the scales again just hours before making the walk after Ortega was forced to withdraw through injury and replaced by Dan Ige.

    Now close to a week on, “T-City” has spoken out and addressed the difficult circumstances that led to his late pullout…

    Ortega Accepted Fight 32 Pounds Above The Limit, Vows To ‘Make This Right’ By Lopes

    In a lengthy statement posted on Instagram, Ortega admitted he “felt off” throughout fight week — something UFC CEO Dana White noted during his appearance at the press conference post-event on Saturday night.

    The featherweight veteran also revealed that he agreed to the short-notice assignment 32 pounds over the featherweight limit, leaving many questioning why he and his team accepted a 145-pound clash.

    “Come fight week I felt off and I didn’t feel right, I thought it was just the residual effects from the cut. I was 178 lb when I accepted this fight on 15 days notice,” Ortega wrote. “Thursday night after 7 straight hours, I could not break 151 lb. Later, I would find out that I was battling a fever and I could not break into the final 5 lbs as my body started to shut down. Rather than risking huge health consequences and possibly calling the fight off, thankfully we were able to move the weight to 155.

    “At weigh ins, I still felt off but I was sure it would go away after I rehydrated and ate Later on that night I still felt off and was suffering from cold sweats and no sleep. Finally, I fell asleep at 6 am Saturday morning and woke up at 1 pm hoping to feel better. I could not keep any food or water down nor could I stand up to use the restroom,” Ortega continued. “I struggled with my own ego, got on a call with Tiki and Hunter, and I made the decision to call off the fight. I dared to do something crazy for the love of fighting, but I got sick and my body gave out on me.”

    Ortega concluded by also making note of the tumultuous two-day period that Lopes went through, culminating in the rising featherweight facing and defeating Ige on just a few hours’ notice.

    “T-City” vowed to “make things right” by the Mexico-based Brazilian.

    “Diego Lopes I can only imagine what went off on your side, you have nothing but my respect and I’ll talk to Hunter and Tiki and make this right by you,” Ortega stated. “To the UFC, Dana, Hunter, and the fans, thank you for having my back.”

    It remains to be seen how Ortega will do that, but perhaps accepting a rescheduled showdown with the 29-year-old at the Sphere-held Noche UFC event on September 14 could be a start.

  • Max Holloway Hits Back At Ilia Topuria Blaming Him For Fight Delay: ‘Guy Is Just Making Things Up At This Stage’

    Max Holloway Hits Back At Ilia Topuria Blaming Him For Fight Delay: ‘Guy Is Just Making Things Up At This Stage’

    If someone is to blame for the lack of a date for their fight, Max Holloway has told UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria that it does not lie at his door.

    Holloway, a former titleholder at 145 pounds, appeared to secure his position as number one contender in the division with his exploits up at lightweight this year.

    Following back-to-back wins over Arnold Allen and “The Korean Zombie” in 2023, “Blessed” returned to 155 pounds to challenge for Justin Gaethje’s symbolic BMF strap at the milestone UFC 300 pay-per-view event this past April.

    After delivering a highlight that is being discussed among the most memorable in UFC history, Holloway outlined his intention to regain the featherweight gold. While Topuria appeared to favor other options, even naming Brian Ortega as a more logical opponent, he’s since vowed to be the first to knock the Hawaiian out.

    That bout is still awaiting official confirmation, however, and “El Matador” claims that personal matters and weight difficulties on the side of Holloway are the cause.

    “It’s not because of me,” Topuria said when asked why the UFC hasn’t announced his first title defense yet. “They called me to say Max Holloway was having family issues, that he was having trouble cutting weight, and that he wanted to fight at a higher weight class. Honestly, I don’t know. I have no idea.”

    It didn’t take long for Holloway to call those remarks out as false…

    Holloway Drops Sphere Event As Preferred Date After Rejecting Topuria Claims

    Following Topuria’s comments while attending the El Matador film presentation in Madrid, “Blessed” quickly took to social media to accuse the champ of “making thing up” regarding why their fight is yet to come to fruition.

    “Guy is just making things up at this stage,” Holloway wrote. “I been ready.”

    When Topuria responded by inviting Holloway to drop a desired date, the former champ pointed to the upcoming pay-per-view at Las Vegas’ Sphere on September 14.

    “Been talking to them brother. You need to check your numbers. Since you said it the Sphere by toe hold. See you soon.”

  • Case Made For Alex Pereira Not To Defend Title Against Magomed Ankalaev Next: ‘Wouldn’t You Rather Him Lose To The GOAT Jon Jones…’

    Former UFC heavyweight makes the case for ‘Poatan’ to face Jones next.

    UFC 303 was an unmitigated disaster for the promotion from a matchmaking point of view. The postponement of the long-awaited ‘Return of the Mac’ was no doubt a spanner in the works for the MMA leader as they were anticipating the highest gate in UFC history, and the bizarre sequence of events that led to Dan Ige stepping up on a few hours’ notice to fight in the co-main event is certainly something we’ve never seen before.

    From an entertainment perspective, the majority of the undercard failed to deliver. Outside of Payton Talbott’s quickfire knockout win over Yanis Ghemmouri, there really wasn’t a whole lot to get fans out of their seats during the prelims, and although the welterweight main card opener between Ian Machado Garry and Michael “Venom” Page proved an interesting tactical battle, it wasn’t a fight that impressed the fanbase.

    As has been the case time and time again, however, Alex Pereira stepped up to the plate to save the day. His knockout win over Jiri Prochazka in the main event stole all the headlines, just two months after his previous showstopping exploits against Jamahal Hill at UFC 300.  

    The main talking point coming out of last Saturday seems to be concerning who “Poatan” will fight next. Rumours continue to circulate about a potential move up to test the waters in the heavyweight division against either interim champion Tom Aspinall or two-weight world champion Jon Jones. There is also the possibility he will defend the 205lb belt against the consensus challenger Magomed Anakalaev.

    Brendan Schaub Advocates For ‘Poatan’ vs. ‘Bones’ Next

    Speaking on his Extra Thiccc podcast this week, former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub made the case for Pereira to fight Jones next.

    “If you’re the UFC, if you’re gonna risk Alex Pereira, wouldn’t you rather him…wouldn’t you rather him lose to the greatest of all time Jon Jones at heavyweight, and then go, ‘Yeah it’s Jon Jones, he’s going back to light heavyweight’, or you know let’s say it’s competitive, you go, ‘Yeah, he’s gonna fight Tom Aspinall’.”

    “At least you still have options” Schaub continued “because if you give him to Ankalaev and he loses? There’s no heavyweight…we don’t wanna see you at heavyweight. He’s gonna be stuck at light heavyweight. If you give him Aspinall and he loses that…well the mega-fight with Jon’s gone.

    Schaub then urged the UFC matchmakers to make the right decision, keep ‘Poatan’ away from the grappling-heavy Ankalaev – and book him against Jon Jones for the undisputed heavyweight strap after “Bones” is done defending his title against Stipe Miocic [if he beats him, of course].

    “If you’re in the boardroom and you’re Mick Maynard this morning and you’re waking up like, ‘Alright he’s an underdog in all three scenarios…what’s gonna be the biggest fight possible, which is not gonna shoot his balloon down of stardom the most?

    “You do Jon Jones – Alex Pereira in 2025 for the undisputed heavyweight title”.

  • Dricus Du Plessis Matchmakes For Sean Strickland, Shuts Down Desire To Wait For Title Shot: ‘You Can Main Event That Fight On Any Card…’

    UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis is locked in to prepare for his first title defense, which will come at UFC 305 against Israel Adesanya.

    Without looking past the former champion, Du Plessis is still keeping an eye on who else could challenge him for the title in the near future, with it likely coming down to two potential opponents.

    Both Sean Strickland and Robert Whittaker have held the title in the past and they’ve rebounded in recent fights from losses to the current champion.

    After Whittaker stopped Ikram Aliskerov, who was a late-notice replacement for Khamzat Chimaev, and Strickland convincingly defeated Paulo Costa, a fight between them makes a lot of sense to the champion.

    Dricus Du Plessis Says Sean Strickland vs. Robert Whittaker Should & Will Happen Next

    In an interview with Submission Radio following the first press conference for UFC 305, Du Plessis spoke about what he thinks should be next for the middleweight division.

    Strickland has made it very clear that after believing he beat Du Plessis in January and then getting the win over Costa at UFC 302, he wants to sit out in order to wait for his second shot at the title.

    The champion believes that with Strickland and Whittaker both having claims to be the next in line, a number one contender’s match-up should and will take place in the near future.

    “Stillknocks” spoke about this option and why he wants to see his two former opponents meet for the first time inside the Octagon.

    “In my opinion, how I see this playing out, you cannot not do the Whittaker versus Strickland fight. I think that’s the fight that needs to happen. Now I know Strickland when we’re at the presser said Whittaker is nothing but a blitz and it’s an easy fight and now he doesn’t want to take that fight. Let me tell you one thing, Robert Whittaker is no easy fight for anybody. Strickland, also an incredible fighter, and that is just a fight that makes so much sense. That’s a fight on it’s own, you can main event that fight on any card and I honestly think that’s how it’s gonna play out.”

    Read also: ‘This Guy Is Such A Trash Person’ – MMA Fans Annoyed After Sean Strickland Puts A Beating On Navy Seal In Sparring

  • Vicente Luque On How Experience Of Fighting Three UFC Fighters Should Help Him Against Nick Diaz: ‘Throw All Those Into A Blender…’

    Vicente Luque On How Experience Of Fighting Three UFC Fighters Should Help Him Against Nick Diaz: ‘Throw All Those Into A Blender…’

    Vicente Luque recently expressed confidence that his past encounters with three seasoned UFC veterans have equipped him to manage the pressure in his upcoming fight against Nick Diaz.

    Luque is gearing up for a high-stakes showdown against former welterweight title challenger Diaz. This five-round bout will serve as the co-main event at UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi, scheduled for August 3 at the Etihad Arena.


    Luque’s recent career has experienced significant ups and downs. Since April 2022, “The Silent Assassin”, known for his formidable and versatile fighting abilities, has managed to secure only one victory. That triumph came when he defeated Rafael Dos Anjos via unanimous decision at UFC Vegas 74 last August.

    Before his victory, Luque endured consecutive defeats to Belal Muhammad and Geoff Neal. The loss to “Handz of Steel” was particularly significant as it marked the first knockout loss of his career and led to an injury that kept him out of action for almost a year.

    The 32-year-old Brazilian is coming off a second-round knockout defeat against Joaquin Buckley this past March at UFC Fight Night Atlantic City. Despite this setback, Luque remains confident in his ability to turn his fortunes around.

    Drawing on his past victories over several notable opponents, Luque believes that his experience and resilience will be key factors in his bout against the former Strikeforce welterweight champion…

    Luque Trusts Experience To Overcome Diaz Challenge

    During a recent interview with InsideFighting, “The Silent Assassin” was queried about his strategy for facing a high-profile opponent like Diaz.

    Luque acknowledged that the intensity Diaz brings to fights is exceptionally different from that of other opponents. However, he expressed confidence that his victories over veterans like Tyron Woodley, Dos Anjos, and Bryan Barberena will provide him with the edge he needs on August 3.

    “I think he’s a big name. I fought Woodley, I fought RDA, and these guys were big champions. They have big names, but I feel like the energy that Nick brings is different.”

    “I think it’s a little bit different, and I don’t know if I would mix the experience that I have from fighting Woodley and RDA with the fight I had with Barberena. It’s kind of that, you know, throw all those into a blender, and you come out with something like Nick, a guy with big, a legend, but he’ll stand there in front of you and try to pressure you.”

    The Brazilian also noted that the five-round matchup will work to his advantage against Diaz, who has been out of the octagon for an extended period of time.

    “It’s gonna be five rounds, not gonna be three rounds. So it’s gonna be nice. I mean, if he can, what I’m gonna bring, and I think he can and I can take what he’s gonna bring, then we’re gonna put on a show for everyone.”

    Diaz returned to active competition after a six-year hiatus, facing off against his former rival Robbie Lawler in a rematch at UFC 266 in September 2021. The 40-year-old Stockton native unexpectedly dropped to the canvas in the third round and chose not to continue, leading the referee to stop the fight.

  • Francis Ngannou’s Teammate & PFL Star Sadibou Sy Honest About Him Taking Anthony Joshua Fight

    Francis Ngannou cut ties with the UFC in Jan. 2023 and went on to box Tyson Fury in October later that year. Contrary to popular belief, he survived the ten rounds and knocked down Fury in the third.

    After a remarkable boxing debut, Ngannou fought former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. This time around, the MMA star suffered a crushing KO loss.

    “The Predator” is yet to return to boxing or fight for the PFL. The definitive loss to Joshua has compelled many to question Ngannou’s career choices, but here’s what his teammate Sadibou Sy thinks of it.

    Sadibou Sy Praises Francis Ngannou For Trying To Achieve Greatness By Fighting Anthony Joshua

    In an interview posted on the InsideFighting YouTube channel, Sy gave his two cents on Ngannou’s boxing career. He outright claimed that despite the loss, his teammate did the unthinkable and a loss doesn’t take away any of his greatbess.

    “So, for me, I would say this. Like, after the fact, when you have the results, saying, like, yeah he shouldn’t have done this, he shouldn’t have done that. Like, he did something unbelievable and something that’s never been done before. For me, just because he didn’t win against Anthony Joshua, doesn’t take that away.”

    Sy also pointed out that Ngannou earned the Joshua fight due to his impressive performance against Fury. He beat the reigning WBC heavyweight champion in the eyes of many and wasn’t a huge underdog going into his second boxing fight.

    “He, as a guy, coming in to martial arts and fighting in general, just being here for a couple of years, becoming a UFC champion. Fighting arguably, arguably the best heavyweight out there. In some guys’ opinion, winning that fight. That giving him the opportunity to now face Anthony Joshua. What is he supposed to do? No, I don’t want the big paycheck. No, I don’t want to, like, test myself.”

    Sy respects Ngannou for getting a huge paycheck and testing his mettle against the best fighters in another sport. He doesn’t think the Joshua fight was a mistake by any means and is proud of his teammate’s achievements.

    After making a fortune in boxing, Ngannou is expected to face Renan Ferreira in the PFL next.

  • Nate Diaz Doubles Down On Support For Conor McGregor Following UFC 303 Pullout: ‘Lost His Last Fight Because He Went In There Like A G & Was Hurt…’

    When Conor McGregor announced the reason for his long awaited return at UFC 303 being pushed back, he received a lot of negativity.

    “The Notorious” made the call to delay his comeback fight after breaking his toe in training because after being out for so long, he wanted to step back inside the Octagon at 100%.

    A new date has not been provided yet for when he hopes to fight again and whether or not it will still be against Michael Chandler.

    Despite their long-running rivalry with each other that produced two of the most iconic fights in the history of the sport, Nate Diaz has McGregor’s back on this one.

    Nate Diaz Commends Conor McGregor For Making The Decision To Postpone His Comeback

    During an interview with MMA legend Demetrious Johnson on The MightyCast, Diaz said that he actually supports McGregor’s decision to postpone the fight.

    The Stockton fighter believes that this shows the Irishman’s experience and learning over the years – which is something Diaz has also noticed in his own career regarding fighting injured.

    “That’s experience, you know, he was f***** up when he fought his last fight and I’ve been f***** up in hella fights and I don’t want to like to cry about it afterwards ‘cuz your a** shouldn’t have came to fight if you was f***** up, that’s how I think about it.”

    Diaz made a clear distinction between the fact that McGregor didn’t cancel the fight but called for it to be pushed back, and commended him for making that call.

    He reflected on how he found himself in a similar position ahead of his fight with Leon Edwards which was moved to the following month’s event at UFC 263, after he suffered a cut in training that he nearly decided to fight through.

    Diaz also referenced how McGregor’s injury, which was a big reason why he was inactive for so long, came at UFC 264 because he went into the fight already compromised which further supports his decision to delay the return.

    “So now, before you just jump to conclusions and start being like, ‘He’s hurt, f****** p****’ it’s like bro, he lost his last fight because he went in there like a G and he was hurt and he f***** himself up, you know what I’m saying. That being a part of it, he shouldn’t have showed up though but now he knows. So it’s like when people are like, ‘wah’, I’m like why don’t you just shut up and sit down?”

  • Interim UFC Champion Tom Aspinall Reveals He Has Been Waiting Two Years For Son’s Autism Diagnosis: ‘I Want To Put Pressure On The NHS…’

    Being able to build a sizeable platform through the success he has achieved in his career, Tom Aspinall has spoken very openly about an issue that is close to his heart.

    The interim UFC heavyweight champion had one of his three sons diagnosed with autism but getting the specialist help that he needed was a difficult process.

    He revealed on the Happy Hour Podcast that both he and his partner only considered this to be an option after watching a documentary that aired on TV about English comedian Paddy McGuinness and his similar experiences.

    After meeting McGuiness in person shortly after, Aspinall was advised to try and get a diagnosis so that they could correctly identify how best to help his son – but getting this through England’s National Health Service, or NHS, was no easy task.

    Tom Aspinall Speaks Openly On His Struggles With The NHS System And Helping Others

    The NHS, which offers free healthcare in England, has got incredibly long waiting lists and this meant that Aspinall needed to look into other options.

    He spoke about this in depth during the podcast interview, stating that he was lucky to be in a position where he could pay for a private diagnosis rather than having to wait to receive the right assistance.

    “We tried getting it through the NHS and there’s like a three-year waiting list and the amount of progress you can make in the three years is like unbelievable and luckily, I’m in a spot financially where I could like pay privately to get a diagnosis.

    Like even now, we’ve not given up on the original one and this was like two years ago and we’ve still not got an appointment [with the NHS]. He’s been diagnosed now privately but we’ve still not got an appointment.”

    Aspinall then continued about why he wants to speak about this publicly because not every family is going to be in a similar position to him where seeking private help is an option.

    The Brit knows that it may be difficult to create any change by himself but if he’s able to raise awareness for the families that find themselves looking for help and not receiving it, he will continue to speak on the topic.

    “Absolutely wild. So I like speaking about it because I want to like, I mean it’s only little old me but I want to put pressure on the NHS to be like, let’s f****** do something about this because the waiting lists are just ridiculous, like for ADHD and autism, you just almost can’t get a diagnosis and there’s a lot of parents out there who are lost, they don’t know what to do.”

  • Robert Whittaker Has Sympathy For Referees In MMA Despite Bad High-Profile Calls: ‘Nobody Talks About A Ref Doing A Good Job…’ (Exclusive)

    June was a big month for the UFC’s middleweight division with several top contenders in action as the upcoming title fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya draws closer.

    Former champion Robert Whittaker could have announced himself as the number one contender had Khamzat Chimaev not withdrawn from their main event in Saudi Arabia.

    Whittaker ended up facing Ikram Aliskerov where he produced a dominant display to earn a first-round finish.

    Earlier in the month, there was controversy in the division after Nassourdine Imavov stopped Jared Cannonier in a call that many believe was made too soon.

    Referee Jason Herzog waved the fight off in the fourth round with fans believing that he stopped the fight too early despite some worrying signs from Cannonier.

    Robert Whittaker Does Not Envy The Thankless Role Of Being A MMA Referee

    In an exclusive interview with MMA News, Whittaker said that he feels some sympathy towards MMA officials for the thankless jobs that they do.

    “The Reaper” didn’t agree with the stoppage of that fight but he also didn’t want to be too negative about the call that Herzog made in this instance.

    He stated that he understands the frustration of being on the wrong end of an early stoppage and having faced Cannonier in the past, knows that there is no quit in him.

    However, Whittaker said that he does not envy the role of the referees, specifically referencing how they never get credit but will always get criticized when a mistake is made.

    “Mate, being a ref’s hard. It’s a hard gig and it’s easy to point the finger at a ref for being trigger happy or pulling a fight too late or pulling a fight too short but man, the reality is their job is so hard. So hard. Nobody talks about a ref doing a good job, they only get hammered when they make a mistake or when it’s not to the liking of the fans. It’s a hard gig and I don’t have an opinion on it.”

    Here are the some of the other topics Whittaker discussed in the exclusive interview that you can watch in the video above:

    • Being upset with the media for misrepresenting his injury issue heading into the Aliskerov fight
    • Reacting to his first KO finish in seven years
    • On refereeing and how he would change judging in MMA
    • Explaining his decision not to weigh in at UFC 305 as the backup fighter
    • Discussing Sean Strickland, Bo Nickal, and Conor McGregor
    • Predicting how a rematch goes against Dricus Du Plessis

    Read More: VIDEO: Israel Adesanya Reacts To Longtime Rival Alex Pereira’s Knockout Of Jiří Procházka At UFC 303

  • Dan Hardy Names Opponent That ‘Makes The Most Sense’ For Jake Paul In MMA After Nate Diaz’s Rejections

    With a rematch of their boxing showdown in the steel surroundings of a cage looking unlikely, Jake Paul has been pitched an opponent other than Nate Diaz for his potential mixed martial arts venture.

    While building his record in the sport of professional boxing, Paul has long outlined his intention to also make a splash in the MMA world too. That appeared to take a step closer to coming to fruition in early 2023 when he put pen to paper on an MMA-exclusive deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

    At the time, the promotion noted that “The Problem Child” would spearhead its new PPV Super Fight division and make his debut in the SmartCage that same year. But in addition to 2023 completing without the ex-Disney star putting his MMA ambitions into motion, another calendar year is on its way to passing by.

    After defeating former UFC star Nate Diaz in the ring last August, both Paul and the PFL higher-ups made public pleas for the Stockton native to meet the longtime online personality in the cage.

    Since Diaz firmly dismissed that as a possibility, Paul’s focus has remained on boxing, where he’s set to face BKFC star Mike Perry later this month and heavyweight legend Mike Tyson toward the back end of 2024.

    With that, the chances of Paul crossing over to the cage are looking increasingly more unlikely. One ex-fighter and key figure in the PFL’s expansion, however, still sees an opponent who could convince the Cleveland native to lace the 4oz gloves…

    Hardy: Paul Could Be ‘Enticed’ To MMA For Woodley Fight

    During an interview with MMA Fighting, Dan Hardy — a former UFC title challenger and the current director of fighter operations for PFL Europe — was asked about the current state of Paul’s plans in MMA.

    After noting that a bout with Diaz appeared to take up all of Paul’s mixed martial arts interest, “The Outlaw” suggested that Diaz’s rejection stems from his fear of a stock-damaging defeat to “The Problem Child” in his realm of the fight game.

    With that ship seemingly sailing, Hardy does have another name in mind that could reignite Paul’s interest in MMA.

    “I think the idea ultimately was for Jake Paul to be able to get Nate Diaz in a cage and fight him in mixed martial arts,” Hardy said. “I think he had his heart set on Nate Diaz and I don’t think Nate Diaz wants to take the risk of sullying his name and his brand by losing to Jake in an MMA fight. I hate to say it but after watching the boxing match, I think Jake could potentially be a problem for Nate in MMA.

    “If we’re doing it, the one that makes the most sense is Tyron Woodley. He’s been commentating with the PFL, he does a great job with that. Every time I see him, we have a very frosty handshake. I feel like he still wants to punch me in the face,” Hardy continued. “Of course, he’s got that knockout loss to Jake Paul. If I’m Tyron Woodley, I’m putting myself at the front of the line to welcome Jake Paul into MMA. I think that’s the kind of opponent Jake Paul could be enticed by.”

    Paul and Woodley certainly have a history, having faced each other twice inside the squared circle. While their first contest in August 2021 was a close and competitive affair, the short-notice rematch four months later concluded with the former UFC champion face down on the canvas.

    Having continued to express his plans to revisit MMA three years on from his UFC exit, perhaps “The Chosen One” will raise his hand for the task of welcoming Paul to the SmartCage.

    For now, though, the polarizing YouTuber-turned-boxer will have his sights on a different ex-UFC athlete in Perry, who has emerged as a leading figure in bare-knuckle boxing owing to victories over Michael “Venom” Page, Luke Rockhold, Eddie Alvarez, and Thiago Alves.

  • Chael Sonnen Tells UFC, Alex Pereira To Avoid Magomed Ankalaev Fight: ‘Dana White’s A Big Gambler, I Don’t Know If He’s That Big…’

    Chael Sonnen Tells UFC, Alex Pereira To Avoid Magomed Ankalaev Fight: ‘Dana White’s A Big Gambler, I Don’t Know If He’s That Big…’

    Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen has some advice for the promotion when it comes to booking Alex Pereira’s next fight.

    Pereira further grew his stock and enhanced his legacy on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage this past weekend by knocking out Jiří Procházka in the main event of the UFC 303 pay-per-view in Las Vegas.

    As was the case with his KO of Jamahal Hill at UFC 300, “Poatan” was drafted in to save the day on June 29. That was after the cancellation of Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler left the headline slot open.

    The Brazilian made the most of the opportunity by recording a second win over “BJP,” repeating the feat he achieved at Madison Square Garden in New York City last November.

    While Pereira’s triumph inside the T-Mobile Arena remains the talk of the town, discussion is beginning to turn to what could lie in waiting for the UFC light heavyweight champion, and the leading option appears to be a man long touted as “Poatan’s” toughest challenge at 205 pounds…

    Sonnen: Pereira vs. Ankalaev A Risk ‘Not Worth’ Taking

    Magomed Ankalaev immediately made his voice heard in the aftermath of UFC 303, taking to social media to stake his claim for the next shot and vowing to knock out the reigning champ.

    Like many, Sonnen sees the Dagestani’s ground game as the major threat to Pereira, and for that reason, he thinks the UFC would be wise to pursue other avenues for the Brazilian’s next fight.

    “You’re gonna start hearing about Ankalaev (as Pereira’s next fight),” Sonnen said during a recent interview with Infinity Sports Network. “He’s just the only guy that’s left. The problem there is Ankalaev does have the one skillset — he’s a fighter from Dagestan, which means he has high-level grappling. … And the one style that we haven’t seen Alex dominate or even defeat is that kind of a wrestler.

    “It’s not worth the risk, in my opinion. To take the risk that this guy could get over on your biggest — this guy called Ankalaev…to take the risk of him taking the spot of your biggest star, I don’t know,” Sonnen continued. “Dana White’s a big gambler, man, I don’t know if he’s that big.”

    Ankalaev appeared to solidify his place in the title conversation by viciously stopping Johnny Walker in the first UFC main event of 2024.

    Prior to the no contest with Walker that came beforehand, the Russian reeled off nine straight wins following a shock loss to Paul Craig, a run that included victories over Nikita Kyrlov, Volkan Oezdemir, Thiago Santos, and Anthony Smith.

  • Dricus Du Plessis To Israel Adesanya: ‘I’m Glad You Took Up Golf, Because That’s A Retirement Sport’

    Dricus Du Plessis To Israel Adesanya: ‘I’m Glad You Took Up Golf, Because That’s A Retirement Sport’

    UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis had some strong words for Israel Adesanya when they went face to face for the first time since confirmation of their upcoming fight.

    In a bout that has been a long time in the making, Du Plessis will put his 185-pound gold on the line against the division’s former two-time champ at UFC 305 on August 17.

    The contest in Perth, Australia, will mark Adesanya’s long-awaited return to action almost a year on from his shock setback at the hands of Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in Sydney last September.

    That matchup came about after number one contender “Stillknocks” was unable to make the turnaround after his victory over Robert Whittaker through injury. While that delayed the settling of Du Plessis and Adesanya’s grudge, the South African’s subsequent title crowning in Toronto, Canada, this past January brought it back to the surface.

    And ahead of their showdown at RAC Arena next month, the pair went face to face in Perth this week for an on-sale press conference, where they were joined on stage by UFC 305 flyweight opponents Kai Kara-France and Steve Erceg.

    Du Plessis Uses Golf Jibe To Outline Plan To ‘Retire’ Adesanya

    As expected, the historical and sensitive nature of Du Plessis and Adesanya’s heated rivalry was a topic of conversation on stage, with the latter again commenting on the South African’s claim regarding African champs.

    After reiterating his defense of that controversy from last year, Du Plessis went in a different direction, using Adesanya’s apparent newfound fondness for golf to predict his impending retirement.

    “I’m glad you took up golf, because that’s a retirement sport,” Du Plessis said.

    During the presser, the pair also engaged in one of the lengthiest and most intense faceoffs in recent memory on stage.

    Suffice to say, there will be plenty more of that when the pair cross paths for promotional events during UFC 305 fight week in August, at the end of which Adesanya will hope to emerge with a third middleweight rule underway.

  • Ian Garry Plans Backup Role For Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad At UFC 304: ‘Dan Ige Stepped In…Anything Can Happen’ 

    Ian Garry Plans Backup Role For Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad At UFC 304: ‘Dan Ige Stepped In…Anything Can Happen’ 

    Before looking ahead to his next official booking, UFC welterweight contender Ian Garry has his sights set on a different kind of assignment in Manchester later this month.

    Garry is just days on from his latest victory inside the Octagon, as the Irishman extended his perfect professional record to 15-0 with an eighth triumph since arriving on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage in 2021.

    The result came at the expense of former Bellator standout Michael “Venom” Page, who was narrowly outpointed by “The Future” in the main card opener of this past weekend’s UFC 303 pay-per-view event.

    In the aftermath, Garry has mentioned names such as former champion Kamaru Usman and the highly regarded Shavkat Rakhmonov as potential next opponents en route to the welterweight gold.

    But the Dubliner is also seemingly planning to make the most of the possibility — however slim — that he could compete with gold on the line in just a few weeks’ time…

    Garry Says He’s Offered To Be Backup Fighter For UFC 304 Main Event

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TPKGBU_R3A

    During a backstage interview with Caroline Pearce for TNT Sports post-fight, Garry reflected on his success inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, assessed his next steps, and looked ahead to his division’s upcoming title joust.

    In one of two championship contests set for the promotion’s return to Manchester, England, for UFC 304 on July 27, Leon Edwards will run it back with Belal Muhammad in defense of his 170-pound belt.

    Garry is keen to weigh in as the backup fighter for the headliner, especially after seeing the number of matchups that fell through on the UFC 303 card and the same-day opportunity that arrived at Dan Ige’s doorstep.

    “I told the UFC two months ago, ‘When I win at UFC 303, I want to be the backup (at UFC 304).’ I want to be there just in case anything happens,” Garry said. “Look at this fight card (UFC 303), look at how many fights fell through. Dan Ige stepped in today! You know what I mean? Anything can happen, and I wanna be there just in case.

    “Whether it’s Leon, whether it’s Belal; whoever it is. I respect both of those guys’ skillset and talent. I’m aware how good they are,” Garry continued. “But I know I can go out there against any man on the planet and get my hand raised. So for me, I’m gonna be there (in Manchester). I’ve offered to UFC, Hunter (Campbell), and Dana (White), I will be the guy to stand in and make sure that there is gonna be a welterweight world title fight if anyone pulls out. So for me, that’s next.”

    It remains to be seen whether or not Garry will indeed appear on the scales a day out from UFC 304.

    But having experienced a tumultuous month of late-notice cancellations, perhaps the promotion will take “The Future” up on his offer to ensure the UK fans inside the newly built Co-op Live have a welterweight title fight guaranteed.

  • Li Jingliang Set For Long-Awaited Return At UFC 305 In Perth On August 17

    Li Jingliang Set For Long-Awaited Return At UFC 305 In Perth On August 17

    “The Leech” is back, with fan-favorite welterweight Li Jingliang set to make the walk for the first time in almost two years at UFC 305.

    Jingliang hasn’t appeared inside the Octagon since falling short in a widely debated split decision opposite Daniel Rodriguez on the shaken-up UFC 279 card back in September 2022.

    The Chinese fighter was scheduled to meet Tony Ferguson, but the changes brought about by Khamzat Chimaev’s weight miss saw him face an opponent who weighed in 10 pounds heavier in “D-Rod.”

    That, along with his personality being more and more on display, saw Jingliang’s fanbase increase. Unfortunately, he’s not been able to capitalize on that with a return to the Octagon after suffering a spine injury.

    Now, as first reported by UFC Weibo and confirmed by Eurosport Nederland’s Marcel Dorff, “The Leech” is finally ready to make his comeback at the upcoming UFC 305 pay-per-view in Perth, Australia, on August 17, where he’s slated to face the charging Carlos Prates.

    Jingliang Out For Bounce-Back Win Against Prates At UFC 305

    When Jingliang and Prates do battle Down Under, the former will be looking to return to winning ways at the expense of the fast-rising Brazilian.

    Jingliang (19-8) has exchanged victories and losses since moving to a three-fight win streak in 2019. While he fell to defeats at the hands of Khamzat Chimaev and Rodriguez, he sandwiched brutal knockouts of Santiago Ponzinibbio and Muslim Salikhov between them.

    If he’s to continue that trend of bouncing back, the Chinese 36-year-old must blemish the UFC record of Prates (19-6). After an emphatic performance on Dana White’s Contender Series to earn a spot on the roster, “The Nightmare” has enhanced his stock with consecutive first-round knockouts of Trevin Giles and Charles Radtke to announce his arrival.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 305 in Perth on August 17 are as follows:

    • Dricus Du Plessis (C) vs. Israel Adesanya (middleweight championship main event)
    • Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg (flyweight)
    • Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (heavyweight)
    • Joshua Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos (featherweight)
    • Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates (welterweight)
    • Casey O’Neill vs. Tereza Bledá (women’s flyweight)
    • Jacob Malkoun vs. Gerald Meerschaert (middleweight)
    • Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker (heavyweight)
    • Jack Jenkins vs. Gavin Tucker (featherweight)
    • Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes (lightweight)
    Image: DWCS/Zuffa LLC